Dundee Literary Festival Top Five

The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness is upon us, which means the Dundee Literary Festival isn’t far away! We’re delighted that Peggy Hughes of Literary Dundee provides the low-down in this special guest feature and picks out 5 choice events which are not to be missed!

Running from Wednesday 23rd – Sunday 27th October, the best writers in the world will be in Dundee to take part in over 40 events, workshops, talks and performances. And there’s something for every taste too, from crime to travel, sports to fiction, travel, politics, illustration and feminism, all taking place at the Bonar Hall…

The Bonar Hall will be transformed into a fantastic festival hub this year, with a festival bookshop manned by Waterstones, stalls from local makers including Rosy Tuesday, Vanilla Ink alumni, Yuck n Yum and more, and Ms Battenberg’s Travelling Tea Room supplying beverages, seasonal pies, soups and other delicious autumnal victuals.

Sarah Hall & Ruth Thomas: The long and the short of it: Thursday 24th October, 3pm, £3/2

Award-winning short story stylist Ruth Thomas’s second novel The Home Corner is a funny, tender exploration of feeling adrift when facing the ‘real world’ for the first time. Granta Best of Young British Novelist Sarah Hall published her first book of short stories – The Beautiful Indifference – to huge acclaim in 2012. Find out more…

Songs in the Key of Fife, Friday 25th October, 8.30pm

If you like good music like we like good music, then this event goes out to you. Vic Galloway’s book charts the story of the Fence Collective and their musical revolution in amongst the sleepy fishing villages and rolling fields of the East Neuk of Fife. Full of anecdote and insight, Vic will tell us more about his in-depth look at a unique collective of musicians, and will be joined on stage by The Pictish Trail for a special performance. Find out more…

Knit Your Own Scotland, Saturday 26th October, 12noon, £3/2

If you’ve ever fancied having your very own miniature woolly version of William Wallace, Andy Murray, James Bond, or even a Scotch pie, now’s your chance. Jackie Holt and Ruth Bailey, authors of Knit Your Own Scotland will be bringing along some of their amazing creations and sharing the tips and tricks you’ll need to make your own… Find out more…

John Whaite, Saturday 26th October, 3pm, £3/2

Calling bakers and cake fans! The tastiest event of the festival! John Whaite, winner of the Great British Bake Off 2012, is joining forces with KitschnBake to produce some mouth-watering confections for your tasting pleasure. Self-Saucing Chocolate Mud Pud. Salted Caramel Rum Babas. Apple and Thyme Sausage Rolls. #omnomnomnom! Come and hear about John’s journey, get some top tips and eat some fabulous cake while you’re about it… Find out more…

John Fardell, Sunday 27th October, 10am, free but ticketed

Boy-Eating Monsters, Diabolical Baddies, Eccentric Professors and High-Flying Jellyfish – expect these and more from award-winning author-illustrator John Fardell. A special behind-the-scenes look at his notebooks, rough drafts, artwork and models, picture books and adventure novels, in this hands on event. Children of all ages welcome… Find out more…

But there’s much else besides! Burrow in and browse on: here’s the full programme on our website, or you can download a copy here.Tickets are available from our website, and in person from the DCA, Waterstones, Overgate and Literary Dundee HQ. Oh and did we mention that many tickets are free, and the most you’ll pay for an event is a frankly bargainous £5?